May 3rd, 1999: A reflection

May 3rd, 1999 started out as any normal day. I woke up to get ready for school. I was a senior, I had just a few weeks of class left, and it was my 18th birthday. A great day all around! As afternoon approached the talk of severe storms and possible tornadoes started. It is spring in Oklahoma after all, I thought. But I never imagined that it would be near me. How wrong I was! There was an outbreak across the state but nothing like the one that roared through my town destroying homes as it passed and going on to kill 44 people. In the neighborhood I live now you can see where the tornado crossed. New houses sit next door to older houses that weren't completely destroyed - either by the tornado or after being found structurally unsafe. The twister went on for 38 miles and spent 85 minutes on the ground. It destroyed over 2200 homes from Chickasha to Bridge Creek to Moore to Midwest City and Del City. My town actually didn't have some of the devastating damage some of the other areas did but I knew two people who had lost their homes.The aftermath of the destruction was terrific. Our school decided that students who could drive could leave school and go to churches to volunteer. People were dropping off donations at a rate that we almost couldn't keep up with. That day will never be forgotten by the people of Oklahoma. Nor will the Piedmont tornadoes of last year or the Woodward tornadoes of last month or any of the tornadoes that we have each year. Oklahomans are a strong group. We know to be prepared for any kind of weather at any time and we know we will survive if a twister destroys everything. Because we, us Okies, know that we have each other and we always will. And no tornado will ever destroy that bond. I love my state!

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